Home in Greece
This blog is about the retirement adventure of two Australians, one a Greek-Australian (Takis) and the other an English-Australian (Julia).
We had both been married before and we had six children and six grandchildren between us. That should have kept us pretty busy, but when I retired from academia and my husband retired from business we both felt like we needed a new project. Thus, when an opportunity opened to renovate an old house in Greece we decided to take it up.
The house today
Our story began after my husband went for a holiday with his brother and two sisters to an old family house on the island of Lemnos.
The seed of the idea was planted in Takis’ mind on that holiday by a physiotherapist. He had to visit her as he had strained his back bending to lift a huge watermelon from the bottom self of a fridge. The suggestion was that Takis apply for a grant to renovate the old house as a hotel.
The hotel did not eventuate but I could say our house in Greece had its beginnings with that watermelon.
It was from that moment, that suggestion, our adventure began; an adventure that involved ….
dreaming retiring journeying reclaiming
purchasing renovating rebuilding renewing
The next year a key was procured
The year after the roof of the house was repaired
And in the following years many walls were rebuilt, shutters renewed, floors taken up and heaps of painting - inside and out - was done.
Sometimes we had time to do a Greek Dance
Sometimes we had time to go to a taverna
But for the most part the next ten years was taken up with renovation work - for at least six months every year.
We (Takis and I and our good helper Anestis) have found ourselves continuously….
finishing off redecorating gardening preserving
And, of course cooking for our many family guests from Greece, Australia, America and England (usually about ten a year arrive on our doorstep, staying for days, weeks or even months)
Wishing you all a Happy New Year
2014
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